Demands for mid-season firings dominate headlines after Patriots' latest loss

Although expectations were low for the Patriots' Week 12 game against the Dolphins, their performance throughout the entire 60 minutes was far worse than anyone anticipated. Besides the careless mistakes by the offense, especially the offensive line, the lackluster effort from the defense didn't help the situation at all.

They have been a growing concern over the last few weeks, as the defense has appeared to regress rather than improve, seemingly going backward instead of forward. That's not a promising development under the new regime and has resulted in some painful losses in recent weeks, with the latest being a near blowout by the Dolphins.

That, coupled with more questionable play-calling and forgettable performances from everyone but Drake Maye, made for a rough day for Patriots coaches. It got even worse when Jerod Mayo spoke to reporters after the game, reciting his usual response after a loss many fans are growing tired of.

It has heightened calls by fans (and even some analysts) for Robert Kraft to make some mid-season decisions regarding the coaching staff and relieve some of their duties before it's too late, with most of the blame being placed on Mayo's shoulders.

The Patriots need big coaching changes soon, or at the very least, during the offseason

After another disappointing loss, Patriots fans did not hide their feelings about the team, with most of their anger geared toward the inexperienced coaching staff. It's just the latest game that has prompted this kind of reaction from New England, which comes just days after reports suggested the current coaching staff is "safe" from being fired next offseason.

If that's true, evidence is mounting for Kraft to reconsider that decision. While moving on from a head coach after just one season isn't ideal, especially in the situation the Patriots are in, it might have to be a possible scenario that the organization must consider as they hope to get back into being a competitive team.

It's entirely possible that Mayo wasn't the right guy for the job. Or, at the very least, those he chose to surround himself with on the coaching staff were not qualified to undertake a job of this magnitude.

Regardless of which situation is true, Kraft needs to figure it out sooner rather than later or risk the team getting worse rather than better. One has to be true and addressed, and it's even more crucial now that they appear to have found their quarterback. They need to do all they can to avoid another Mac Jones experience, and ensuring they have the best coaching staff around Maye is at the top of the list.

If Kraft is serious about making the team competitive and doing all he can to make that happen, then these kinds of decisions cannot be ignored for much longer.

More Patriots news and analysis: